what type of performance space was the play originally written for

The Elizabethan audience was rambunctious, loud and opinionated about their theatre. The Rose theatre, where Doctor Faustus was originally performed by the Admiral’s Men (the acting company that bought the play from Marlowe,) was located on the south bank of the Thames River because it was illegal for players or theatres to exist within the confines of London itself. Near theatres such as the Rose and the neighboring Globe Theatre (home to Shakespeare’s company) you could find the Clink Prison, bear-baiting pits, brothels, and all manners of ‘lowlife.’ It’s really no surprise that the Puritan element in English society and the government often tried to close down the theatres altogether

during Marlowe’s career. For a complete discussion of Elizabethan theatres and the new Globe theatre in London, do a web search on Shakespeare’s Globe or visit

www.shakespeares-globe.org .